Fairmount Elementary School is an active participant in the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl each year. The Reading Bowl was started by Helen Ruffin, who was a media specialist in Dekalb County. Since that time, it has expanded and is now a statewide activity. There are sections for elementary, middle school, and high school teams who compete in a manner similar to academic bowl procedures.

Students read books that have been nominated for the Georgia Children's Book Award each year. This year, our elementary team will read 18 books from the list, which can be found at the Georgia Children's Book Awards website.